Dental Exams

Achieve Optimal Oral Health by Getting a Dental Exam

We at General and Cosmetic Dentistry of Tampa highly encourage all of our patients to get a dental exam at least once every six months to maintain the optimal health of their teeth and gums. These exams are essential for protecting oral health. That being said, if you are experiencing any pain or discomfort in your mouth, getting an exam sooner can help identify the problem and allow our dentists to propose the best solutions to treat it.

Dentist Exams Overview

A dental exam, also known as a dental checkup or an oral exam, is usually conducted by our team of highly experienced dentists. In most cases, we also bring in the help of a dental hygienist to clean your teeth and advise you on how to maintain the best oral health habits.

Regular exams are the cornerstone of good oral health. Through consistent checkups, we can help you minimize issues. Our dental health exam services include routine oral screenings, cleanings, and dental treatments, if necessary. Depending on our analysis of your mouth health, we may also employ other methods that specifically target your issues.

Overall, the goal of our dental exams at General and Cosmetic Dentistry of Tampa is to offer you comprehensive services to give you the best dental care possible

The Uses of a Dental Exam

We use dental exams to find signs of gum disease, tooth decay, and other oral health problems as early as possible so we can effectively prevent any complications in the long run. Moreover, we use regular dental exams to educate our patients on the most effective ways to care for their teeth and gums and practice good dental hygiene.

Who Needs It?

Both children and adults need to get a routine dental exam at least twice a year. However, if you are experiencing symptoms or issues, like an oral cavity, bleeding and swollen gums, tooth loss, ulcers, pain chewing or biting, a toothache, high sensitivity, a receding gum line, chronic bad breath, or other dental problems, we recommend that you visit our clinics more often.

More frequent visits can help us prevent the rise of severe conditions like oral cancer, periodontitis, gingivitis, periodontal disease, and herpangina, among others.

What You Need to Know During a Dental Exam

To help you better understand what goes on during dental exams, here are some of the activities you can expect during dental visits:

General Checkup

Before moving forward with any procedures, our dentists will ask several questions to see where you are in terms of your oral health. These questions can encompass topics like dental history, medical history, genetics, flossing techniques, teeth cleaning routines, and existing fillings and implants.

Once we are satisfied with the information, we can continue to examine your entire mouth. For this, we may observe your teeth and gums to see if they’re in good shape. We can also check your bite to see if you have any issues with the fit between your upper and lower teeth.

Should you report any pain or discomfort in your mouth and jaw area, we will check for cavities, gum disease, and early signs of oral cancer. This will include evaluating the insides of your lips, the floor and roof of your mouth, and each side of your tongue.

Dental X-Rays

Usually, we take digital x-rays if we want to examine certain areas of your mouth that we can’t see with our naked eye. These are generally used to detect conditions that may be related to your jaw placement, facial bone composition, and growth of your teeth. With the help of x-rays, we can discover and treat dental issues during their early stages.

Cleaning

As a preventive measure, we offer general teeth cleaning to help you maintain proper dental hygiene. We will use tools to scrape your teeth and remove leftover plaque or tartar. We then apply fluoride to prevent tooth decay and cavities.

After our professional cleaning session, our dentists will give you expert advice on how to properly clean and care for your oral health moving forward.

Schedule Your Dental Exam at General and Cosmetic Dentistry of Tampa

If you want to achieve optimal oral health, schedule a comprehensive dental exam with our dental provider. You can reach us online or by calling (813) 331-0364 (Tampa office) or (813) 370-1014 (South Tampa Office).